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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,546 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
865 Posts |
Hello everyone! I picked up this stunning piece just on the design alone, I thought it was really striking. But, I don't know what it is. Anybody have any idea what this medal was issued for and what country/ time period it came from? Any help would be appreciated. Diameter (not including the loop) 27.5mm Weight: 10.8 grams It looks like the signature might be LO Mattel, or maybe LD Mattel and I have no clue as to what the stamps on the rim are. I'm thinking that it may be some type of agriculture medal because of all the farming tools below the woman. Thanks for looking!     Edited by keepcalmandcoinon
01/13/2017 5:44 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
865 Posts |
I posted to quick! I found the artist and country of origin but still don't know what it was issued for.
The engraver is L.O. Mattei of France.
If anyone still knows what the medal was given for let me know. Thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5246 Posts |
It looks like the flat area in the circle was intended to engrave the details of the recipient-which was not done or removed/ worn off in this case.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5395 Posts |
Generally awarded for excellence or proficiency in Music and the Arts.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3079 Posts |
Quote:
Generally awarded for excellence or proficiency in Music and the Arts. Have to agree with that statement from the subject matter. Last pic looks to be the marks for maker and possibility the defaced others for year and purity. Have you tested it to see if is gold? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
Mattei was a popular sculptor and engraver who designed medallic art in the late 19th c-early 20th c. -- the Art Nouveau/Style Moderne period directly before WWI. Even with contemporaries such as Lalique, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Seurat, he was certainly a capable artist on his own, having studied under Georges Tonnelier, cameo sculptor/engraver and medal artist, whose camee (cameo) art can be found in Paris' Musee d'Orsay and The Met in NYC. (I've been waiting 20 years to use something I learned in Art History! Finally!) This is rough and a bit cruide for a Mattei medal, perhaps a restrike or jeweler's copy in brass or bronze, imitating the originals as sold by M. Delande and others. Art Nouveau was out of style post-WWI so it is likely contemporary with or near to the original issue. It has been reduced in diameter (most notable on the obverse where the victory laurel wreath has been smashed in and the bottom of the blacksmith's hammer is missing) and the detail is very rough compared to originals. The material should properly be gold-filled (plated) silver, weigh approx. 60g, diameter 50mm, and it should ring like a silver coin. I do not know if any of these were struck in bronze when issued (late 1800s.) It might very well be an original that has been worn down quite a bit and was resized by a jeweler to meet a request or to fit the mount, and that would explain why the hallmark has been changed from the usual (which would say ARGENT or BRONZE.) Original (in this case from Delande), AV plated AR, 50mm, 60g  Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Moderator
United States
54282 Posts |
Here is a similar but larger one (50mm) for sale on ebay at the moment, that is is less worn condition, but is engraved with a 1924 date.  Show your financial support of the Coin Community Family (click here)See my topic on Mexican Numismatic Medals (click here) |
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Moderator
United States
54282 Posts |
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It might very well be an original that has been worn down quite a bit and was resized by a jeweler to meet a request or to fit the mount, The medal in question was stated to be 27.5 mm. The one I posted and you mentioned is 50 mm. To resize a 50 mm to 27.5 mm would produce the following.  Show your financial support of the Coin Community Family (click here)See my topic on Mexican Numismatic Medals (click here) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
865 Posts |
Thank you everyone for the info! I appreciate it. I'm gonna do some more researching on this and if I come up with anything, like the reason for the size difference, I'll be sure to let you know. Thanks again for the help.
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Moderator
United States
15459 Posts |
Outstanding input from our experts ... you folks are indeed the best!
David
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Moderator
United States
54282 Posts |
Well, obviously the original medal was less than 50mm. Compared to the other photos, it does appear that some of the detail around the edges is missing from your piece. But since the hallmark is still visible on the edge I don't think that it's diameter has been resized. Now, I found another medal with a similar reverse, and it shows the same "missing" detail. This is a decoration style medal, and so some may have been made this way. The diameter you report is more in line with this type of medal.  Show your financial support of the Coin Community Family (click here)See my topic on Mexican Numismatic Medals (click here) |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,546 |
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Posted 01/13/2017 6:32 pm
